The Dark
🇳🇱 TOP 40#8
🇳🇱 TOP 100#12
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About the single
The Dark was released in early 2000 as the second single from Anouk's album Urban Solitude. Compared to the energetic sound of R U Kiddin' Me, the song revealed a darker and more experimental side of Anouk's music.
The single appeared in two different editions: a 2-track version in a cardboard sleeve and a 4-track edition in a plastic jewel case. Both versions included a live recording of Lovin' Whiskey by Rory Block, originally performed by Anouk during the Dutch television program 't Dak eraf alongside Eric Corton.
In The Dark, Anouk references one of her musical heroes, French singer Charles Aznavour. The song had already been performed live during concerts in 1998 and 1999 before eventually being released as a single. The track also introduced subtle hiphop and spoken-word influences, for which Anouk was coached by E-life, something relatively unusual for her at the time.
The surreal videoclip was directed by Dutch artist Rosto and featured Anouk in two roles: the blonde Anouk and the darker alter ego Manouk. Set against brightly coloured backgrounds, the fantasy-inspired clip gradually transformed the band members into devil-like figures and became one of the most visually distinctive videos from the Urban Solitude era.
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Tracklist
4 tracksClick a title to view the lyrics
Maxi Single
1
03:17
I'm walking in the park
And I'm talking to the dark
But there ain't nobody listening
My heart has turned to stone
When I found myself alone
Now all I do is whisper to the dark
There's only so much you can take
You've gotta give yourself a break
But I don't think you're listening
If you're gonna take it all so hard
You gonna tear yourself apart
I can understand you miss him in the dark
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
If love is no longer being served
You've got to leave the table
Mister Aznavour told me, merci beaucoup
Though I miss him, got to let go
Though I miss him, got to let go
Let it go
It's about that time to leave it all behind you
You don't want to but life is passing by you
The hard knocks, got you twisted like dreadlocks
Catalogue your dark and set some new marks
I understand your body's filled with hesitation
Trust me it's gonna be a whole new situation
Turn this page I guess you know what to do
Rise up like phoenix I'm bringing out the beauty in you
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
And I'm talking to the dark
But there ain't nobody listening
My heart has turned to stone
When I found myself alone
Now all I do is whisper to the dark
There's only so much you can take
You've gotta give yourself a break
But I don't think you're listening
If you're gonna take it all so hard
You gonna tear yourself apart
I can understand you miss him in the dark
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
If love is no longer being served
You've got to leave the table
Mister Aznavour told me, merci beaucoup
Though I miss him, got to let go
Though I miss him, got to let go
Let it go
It's about that time to leave it all behind you
You don't want to but life is passing by you
The hard knocks, got you twisted like dreadlocks
Catalogue your dark and set some new marks
I understand your body's filled with hesitation
Trust me it's gonna be a whole new situation
Turn this page I guess you know what to do
Rise up like phoenix I'm bringing out the beauty in you
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
2
The Darkinstrumental
03:17
3
acoustic
05:02
I'm just thinkin' about the child in me,
That I sometimes feel inside
And I'm figuring out just what it is
That makes me feel so small
Is it you, that hurts me when I give myself
Every day and every night
Am I too blind to see that it doesn't work out
Did I really ask too much of you baby
Do you mean to tell me that's the way it is
Do you mean to say
It's all so hard, It's so hard
It's all so hard, It's so hard
As I search for an answer, I see the clear blue sky
And I know that you're the one to blame
And I feel so naïve
When you say that our love to you was just a game
I dream, my dream, I'm sane, I'm insane
Oh, please don't, please don't speak to me that way
Do you mean to tell me that's the way it is
Do you mean to say
It's all so hard, It's so hard
It's all so hard, It's so hard
Damned it's so hard, why you're so hard
Why you're so hard, It's tearing me apart
That I sometimes feel inside
And I'm figuring out just what it is
That makes me feel so small
Is it you, that hurts me when I give myself
Every day and every night
Am I too blind to see that it doesn't work out
Did I really ask too much of you baby
Do you mean to tell me that's the way it is
Do you mean to say
It's all so hard, It's so hard
It's all so hard, It's so hard
As I search for an answer, I see the clear blue sky
And I know that you're the one to blame
And I feel so naïve
When you say that our love to you was just a game
I dream, my dream, I'm sane, I'm insane
Oh, please don't, please don't speak to me that way
Do you mean to tell me that's the way it is
Do you mean to say
It's all so hard, It's so hard
It's all so hard, It's so hard
Damned it's so hard, why you're so hard
Why you're so hard, It's tearing me apart
4
livecover Rory Block
03:52
Well if you live in dusty twilight baby, that's ok
cause there are women at the bar to greet you every day
You can take them back to lie with you and visit Janie's room
But they can never take the pain away
Or brighten all the gloom
And if your hands are cleansed with sorrow
May it help you ease your pain
Though the windows have a view of city rain, city rain
Well if you walk in constant sorrow
And you cry for me
And if you're hit with painful memories
Maybe then you'll see
That if you drown yourself in liquor
Because it keeps you company
Then just remember who you're losing
And be proud to set me free
Because it don't talk back or disagree
It just makes you see so lazily
But in the morning light your life is scattered with the wind,
scattered with the wind
And they tell you on the telephone to let him go
I said, they tell you he's a sinking ship
And he's trying to pull you down
Don't you know
That every time you call me up and say you want me back
You know you break my heart
You want me to come back home and try again
You want me to make a brand new start
Well if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
My baby left me for the bottle
And the lure of the nightlife
Good times and crazy women
And another glass of tangerine
And if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
cause there are women at the bar to greet you every day
You can take them back to lie with you and visit Janie's room
But they can never take the pain away
Or brighten all the gloom
And if your hands are cleansed with sorrow
May it help you ease your pain
Though the windows have a view of city rain, city rain
Well if you walk in constant sorrow
And you cry for me
And if you're hit with painful memories
Maybe then you'll see
That if you drown yourself in liquor
Because it keeps you company
Then just remember who you're losing
And be proud to set me free
Because it don't talk back or disagree
It just makes you see so lazily
But in the morning light your life is scattered with the wind,
scattered with the wind
And they tell you on the telephone to let him go
I said, they tell you he's a sinking ship
And he's trying to pull you down
Don't you know
That every time you call me up and say you want me back
You know you break my heart
You want me to come back home and try again
You want me to make a brand new start
Well if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
My baby left me for the bottle
And the lure of the nightlife
Good times and crazy women
And another glass of tangerine
And if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
Single
1
03:17
I'm walking in the park
And I'm talking to the dark
But there ain't nobody listening
My heart has turned to stone
When I found myself alone
Now all I do is whisper to the dark
There's only so much you can take
You've gotta give yourself a break
But I don't think you're listening
If you're gonna take it all so hard
You gonna tear yourself apart
I can understand you miss him in the dark
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
If love is no longer being served
You've got to leave the table
Mister Aznavour told me, merci beaucoup
Though I miss him, got to let go
Though I miss him, got to let go
Let it go
It's about that time to leave it all behind you
You don't want to but life is passing by you
The hard knocks, got you twisted like dreadlocks
Catalogue your dark and set some new marks
I understand your body's filled with hesitation
Trust me it's gonna be a whole new situation
Turn this page I guess you know what to do
Rise up like phoenix I'm bringing out the beauty in you
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
And I'm talking to the dark
But there ain't nobody listening
My heart has turned to stone
When I found myself alone
Now all I do is whisper to the dark
There's only so much you can take
You've gotta give yourself a break
But I don't think you're listening
If you're gonna take it all so hard
You gonna tear yourself apart
I can understand you miss him in the dark
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
If love is no longer being served
You've got to leave the table
Mister Aznavour told me, merci beaucoup
Though I miss him, got to let go
Though I miss him, got to let go
Let it go
It's about that time to leave it all behind you
You don't want to but life is passing by you
The hard knocks, got you twisted like dreadlocks
Catalogue your dark and set some new marks
I understand your body's filled with hesitation
Trust me it's gonna be a whole new situation
Turn this page I guess you know what to do
Rise up like phoenix I'm bringing out the beauty in you
Yeah, teach your heart how to sing get the courage again now
Yeah, take the 10:50pm train to the city
Yeah, I had a chance for romance so I do it again now
2
livecover Rory Block
03:52
Well if you live in dusty twilight baby, that's ok
cause there are women at the bar to greet you every day
You can take them back to lie with you and visit Janie's room
But they can never take the pain away
Or brighten all the gloom
And if your hands are cleansed with sorrow
May it help you ease your pain
Though the windows have a view of city rain, city rain
Well if you walk in constant sorrow
And you cry for me
And if you're hit with painful memories
Maybe then you'll see
That if you drown yourself in liquor
Because it keeps you company
Then just remember who you're losing
And be proud to set me free
Because it don't talk back or disagree
It just makes you see so lazily
But in the morning light your life is scattered with the wind,
scattered with the wind
And they tell you on the telephone to let him go
I said, they tell you he's a sinking ship
And he's trying to pull you down
Don't you know
That every time you call me up and say you want me back
You know you break my heart
You want me to come back home and try again
You want me to make a brand new start
Well if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
My baby left me for the bottle
And the lure of the nightlife
Good times and crazy women
And another glass of tangerine
And if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
cause there are women at the bar to greet you every day
You can take them back to lie with you and visit Janie's room
But they can never take the pain away
Or brighten all the gloom
And if your hands are cleansed with sorrow
May it help you ease your pain
Though the windows have a view of city rain, city rain
Well if you walk in constant sorrow
And you cry for me
And if you're hit with painful memories
Maybe then you'll see
That if you drown yourself in liquor
Because it keeps you company
Then just remember who you're losing
And be proud to set me free
Because it don't talk back or disagree
It just makes you see so lazily
But in the morning light your life is scattered with the wind,
scattered with the wind
And they tell you on the telephone to let him go
I said, they tell you he's a sinking ship
And he's trying to pull you down
Don't you know
That every time you call me up and say you want me back
You know you break my heart
You want me to come back home and try again
You want me to make a brand new start
Well if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
My baby left me for the bottle
And the lure of the nightlife
Good times and crazy women
And another glass of tangerine
And if wisdom says to let him go
Then it's well because you just don't know
Until you've tried to love a man who's loving whiskey, loving whiskey
Notes
It's So Hard (acoustic) recorded November 11, 1999 at Koninklijke Schouwburg, The Hague for '2 Meter Sessies' (RTL 5).
Lovin' Whiskey (live) recorded January 20, 1998 at Veronica Studio, Aalsmeer for ''t Dak Eraf' (RTL 4).
Videos
1 video
official
Official Video
Releases
3 editions
The Dark · Single · 2000
Sleeve design
Rosto A.D.
The Dark
Songwriting
Written By
Anouk Teeuwe and Bart van Veen
Published By
TBM International C.V. / K&G Publishing
Performers
Vocals
Anouk Teeuwe
Drums
Satindra Kalpoe
Bass
Michel van Schie
Hammond
Sven Figee
Guitars
Paul-Jan Bakker and Roland Dirkse
The Dark (instrumental)
Songwriting
Written By
Anouk Teeuwe and Bart van Veen
Published By
TBM International C.V. / K&G Publishing
Performers
Drums
Satindra Kalpoe
Bass
Michel van Schie
Hammond
Sven Figee
Guitars
Paul-Jan Bakker and Roland Dirkse
Production
Produced By
Anouk Teeuwe
Mixed By
Erwin Musper at Skip Saylor Recording, LA
Mastered By
Chris Bellman at Bernie Grundman Mastering, Hollywood
Recorded At
NOB Audio 1, Hilversum
It's So Hard (acoustic)
Songwriting
Published By
TBM International C.V.
Production
Recorded At
Koninklijke Schouwburg, 2 Meter Sessie (RTL 5)
Lovin' Whiskey (live)
Songwriting
Published By
Brown Foot Music / Stronk Music
Performers
Guitar
Eric Corton
Production
Recorded At
John de Mol Produkties, Hilversum for "'T Dak Eraf" (RTL 4)